1. Field of the Invention
The teachings generally relate to a navigation system for viewing of an image data stack in less time with less effort and less repetitive motions, such as a data stack of medical images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radiologists use cutting-edge imaging technology to examine organs and tissues to diagnose injuries and illnesses so treatment can begin. While early radiologists had only film X-rays to work with, modern radiologists have many imaging tools at their disposal including, but not limited to, X-ray radiography, ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and nuclear imaging. Advances in digital technology now allow for easy transmission of image data in the practice of “telemedicine,” such that modern radiologists can practice in any location having internet connectivity. This is valuable to society, as telemedicine provides skilled, emergency consultations and collaborations after hours and around the globe. In the course of providing such services, problems arise. For example, the modern radiologist is often forced to go for long spans of time working at a rather traditional computer workstation, faced with the burden of efficiently analyzing images and delivering diagnoses using traditional computer workstation tools.
The problem is exacerbated in that advances in digital imaging have made it easy to rapidly produce and deliver numerous medical images to a radiologist, more than ever before. For example, a data-stack may have just contained axial images 20 years ago or so, whereas now the data-stack may be reconstructed in multiple imaging planes, multiple reconstruction algorithms, or three-dimensional models. As a result, 20 years ago or so, a radiologist may have averaged 20-30 images per case, whereas now, the radiologist may potentially be presented with upwards of 2000-3000 images. The radiologist's mechanical ability becomes the slow-step, resulting in slower and strenuous working conditions to sort, select, view, and interpret the increasing amounts of image data using traditional computer workstation tools that still include the point-and-click mouse as a navigation device. As such, the current navigation device limitations hinder the radiologist's ability to meet the demands of the job, which include providing uniform and reproducible analyses of large data-stacks, as rapidly and accurately as possible, for use worldwide.
These problems associated with handling and viewing the data-stacks has been addressed through systems that can format, store, and distribute the data in a universal manner. Storage and access to the various formats of the image data (imaging modalities) has been advanced through the use of picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), allowing images and reports to be transmitted digitally, eliminating the need to manually file, retrieve, or transport film jackets by offering a universal format for image storage and transfer. PACS consists of four major components: (i) imaging modalities such as X-ray plain film, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging; (ii) a secured network for the transmission of confidential patient information; (iii) workstations for interpreting and reviewing images; and, (iv) a database for the storage and retrieval of images and reports. PACS has helped to break-down physical and time barriers associated with traditional film-based image retrieval, distribution, and display, but it has done nothing to address the inefficiencies of the radiologist's workstation. Currently, for example, the radiologist viewing thousands of images daily uses a computer system that is very much like a system used by the ordinary computer user that is not under anywhere near the same production expectations and time constraints. Both the radiologist and ordinary user will have a system that simply includes a processor, a database for receiving and storing images, a graphical user interface for viewing the images, and most importantly, the traditional point-and-click mouse for pointing-to, and selecting, the image data for viewing and interpreting images by group, subgroup, or individually.
Identifiable problems associated with the inefficiencies of the traditional radiologist workstation include (i) the time it takes to review a case; (ii) the ability of the radiologist to focus on the images themselves as opposed to the extra effort currently required for sorting, navigating, and selecting images; and (iii) the repetitive stress injuries that have become an expected occupational hazard to the radiologist. Reducing the time it takes to deliver an interpretation, and improving the ability to focus on making the interpretation benefits all. And, reducing the use of the traditional “point-and-click” steps inherent to the standard “mouse” control will help remove redundancies and inefficiencies at the radiologist's workstation, resulting in reduction in repetitive stress injuries in the modern radiologist. In one study of repetitive stress injuries in radiologists working in a PACS-based radiology department, for example, a total of 73 responses were received (a 68% response rate from the department). See, for example, Boiselle, P. M. J Am Coll Radiol. 5(8):919-23 (2008). Most reported working more than 8 hours per day at a personal computer or PACS monitor, and repetitive stress symptoms were reported by 58% of respondents, with prior related diagnoses of repetitive stress syndrome reported at 38%. See Id. at Abstract.
The teachings provided herein improve the radiologist's workstation to overcome the human limitations associated with the traditional methods of navigating the “data stack” of the images. One of skill will appreciate a modern workstation that (i) reduces the time it takes to review a case; (ii) improves the ability of the radiologist to focus more on the act of interpreting the data rather than navigating the data; and (iii) reduces the occurrence of repetitive stress injuries due to multiple movements currently required in the actions of sorting, navigating, selecting, viewing, and interpreting data from the images as groups, subgroups, or individual images.